Press Releases

Mayor’s Office of Communications
55 Trinity Avenue, Suite 2500 • Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Mayor Dickens Expands the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board With New Appointments

Expansion Allows for Greater Diversity and Engagement 

ATLANTA – Mayor Andre Dickens announced the expansion of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, comprising 50 members from across Atlanta, including LGBTQ civic leaders, champions and advocates. The Board will make recommendations to the Mayor and other City officials that assist in influencing City policies and procedures, and enhance engagement with Atlanta’s LGBTQ community.

The Director of the Mayor’s Division of LGBTQ Affairs, Malik Brown, will continue in his role and also serve as the City’s primary staff representative to the advisory board. The Mayor’s Division of LGBTQ Affairs is one of six divisions in the Mayor’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

“Atlanta is the LGBTQ capital of the South, and a global leader on municipal LGBTQ Affairs,” said Mayor Dickens. “I am energized by the impressive group that we have assembled and look forward to working with each of them to Move Atlanta Forward."

“It was important to me to expand the membership of the board to allow for greater diversity, and to maximize impact — particularly in the areas of youth engagement and arts, entertainment, and culture — all of which are important priority areas for our administration,” Mayor Dickens added.

By increasing the size of the Board, Mayor Dickens has allowed for greater diversity among its membership. The Board includes the voices of LGBTQ people of color, youth-serving experts, trans and non-binary people, grassroots organizers, business leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, faith leaders, straight allies, artists and more.

Current focus areas of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board include:

• LGBTQ Youth
• LGBTQ Arts Entertainment & Culture
• Trans Affairs
• LGBTQ Health
• LGBTQ Economic & Community Development
  
  

Members of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board include:

Co-Chairs:

• Matt Keith, Senior Vice President, Business Strategy and Initiatives, Bank of America
• Dr. Alieizoria Redd, Executive Director, Covenant House Georgia

Full Board:

• Mary Anne Adams, Founder, ZAMI NOBLA (National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging)
• Sarah Al-Khayyal, Policy Manager, Partnership for Southern Equity
• Bishop O.C. Allen, Senior Pastor & Founder, Vision Cathedral of Atlanta
• TAYLOR ALXNDR, Executive Director, Southern Fried Queer Pride
• Melania Armenta, Art Director, RangeWater Real Estate
• Lynn Barfield, Former President, For the Kid In All of Us
• Roy Broderick, Jr., Founder, President & CEO, Authentique Agency
• Antonio Brown, Former Atlanta City Council Member, District 3
• Rashad Burgess, Executive Director, HIV Community Operations, Gilead Sciences
• Gabrielle, Claiborne, Co-Founder & CEO, Transformation Journeys Worldwide
• Paul Conroy, Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Out Front Theatre Company
• Travis Currie, Public Relations Manager, Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Morgan L. Darby, Director of Equity and Inclusion, The Children's School
• Bill Dickinson, D. Min., Managing Partner, C3 Leadership
• Jason Max Feldman, Board of Directors, Atlanta Jewish Music Festival
• Marshall B. Freeman, Chief Operating Officer, Atlanta Police Foundation
• Dr. Jodie L. Guest, Professor and Vice Chair, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
• Pierce Hand, Senior Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County District Attorney's Office
• Jamie Anne, Harrell Data Analytics Lead, Emory University Goizueta Business School
• Steven Igarashi-Ball, Director of Equity and Engagement, Atlanta Pride
• Satchel B. Jester, Journalist
• Jamie Jordan, Management Consultant, Accenture
• Matt Keith, Senior Vice President, Business Strategy and Initiatives, Bank of America
• Logan J. Kirsch, Strategy Manager, Deloitte
• Kali Lindsey, US and Global LGBTQ Portfolio Lead, Elton John AIDS Foundation
• Ivette Lopez, Latino LinQ
• Chris Lugo, Executive Director, OUT Georgia Business Alliance
• Sandy Mollett, Chief Operating Officer, Inclusive
• Selima Morrow, Associate Director, Point Source Youth
• Eric Paulk, Deputy Director, Georgia Equality
• Daniel J. Preister, Managing Director, Coxe Curry and Associates
• Philip Rafshoon, Director of Member Engagement, Midtown Alliance
• Dr. Alieizoria Redd, Executive Director, Covenant House Georgia
• Nathan K. Regan, Chief Operating Officer, Calloquy
• Tyler Reinagel, Associate Vice President of Economic Development, Kennesaw State University
• Aaron Rice, Vice President of Innovation and Partnerships, Families First
• Matt Rinker, Realtor
• Alex Santiago, Executive Director, I Am Human Foundation
• Melissa Scott, Co-Founder, Pure Heat Community Festival
• Said Sewell, Ph.D., Director, Atlanta University Center Consortium, Inc.
• Justin Smith, Director, Campaign to End AIDS, Positive Impact Health Centers
• Rev. Kimble Sorrells, Ordained Minister, United Church of Christ
• Charles Stephens, Executive Director, Counter Narrative Project
• Melanie Thompson, MD, Physician
• DaShawn Usher, Director, Communities of Color and Media, GLAAD
• Joshua Weaver, Vice President of Marketing, Trevor Project
• Nicole Williams, Small Business Owner
• Toni-Michelle Williams, Executive Director, Solutions NOT Punishment Collaborative (SnapCo.)
• Hillary Williams Thomas, Associate State Director Advocacy and Outreach, AARP Georgia
• Erica Wright, CEO & Founder, U First, Inc.

For more information on the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, please visit ATLGBTQ.atlantaga.gov/board.

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For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @CityofAtlanta.